Tom Dempster, soon-to-be Friends of Levitt Sioux Falls Board Chair, received a call from his old high school friend and Sioux Falls native, Tim Boe, who was living in Pasadena, Calif.—home to a Levitt outdoor concert venue. Boe told him: “Sioux Falls needs a Levitt.” Embracing the potential of community building through music, Tom put together a group of community leaders who shared this vision.

After reviewing numerous public spaces, Falls Park West was identified as the best location for Levitt Shell Sioux Falls. The undeveloped Falls Park West has played host to a variety of successful annual events,  pointing to its tremendous promise as a place for more consistent programming.  

Friends of the Levitt Shell Sioux Falls non-profit was incorporated with the state of South Dakota in November of 2012 and received its 501©(3) non-profit status in March of 2013.  Fundraising to support the building of the Levitt Shell could begin, along with further collaboration with the City of Sioux Falls.

The Levitt Shell Sioux Falls was selected as one of two projects to receive the support of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Community Appeals Campaign. Levitt at the Falls was approved for a 2016 fund drive of $1.06 million based on criteria of community need and project impact.

In February of 2016, Sioux Falls City Council approved the public/private  partnership to build and sustain Levitt at the Falls, marking a major  milestone for the project. According to Levitt at the Falls Board Chair  Jennifer Kirby, it was then “full steam ahead!” 

Levitt at the Falls conducted its Chamber of Commerce Community Appeals campaign November 1, 2016-March 31, 2017 with a goal to begin construction at the site in 2018. 

Total Project Cost: $4,600,000

• April: The Levitt Shell groundbreaking takes place and construction commences on the Levitt Shell.
• August: Executive Director Nancy Halverson was hired to lead the Levitt at the Falls local non-profit and begin fundraising and programming for the inaugural 2019 concert season.

Construction is completed in spring of 2019 with the official ribbon cutting taking place on June 5. 

• Friday, June 14: Levitt at the Falls celebrates its inaugural concert with GRAMMY-nominated gospel and blues artist, Ruthie Foster. 30 free concerts made up the Inaugural season which spanned from  June-August and brought free, live, professional music to 58,000 community members.

 Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the season of live concerts was canceled. 

• Levitt created Levitt in Your Living Room, an online program with concert footage and interviews with artists from across the globe. The program was viewed by over 187,000 people.
• Levitt in Your Neighborhood was established as an outreach program providing 12 pop-up concerts. Concerts employed all local artists and  were staged at nursing homes, parks, food giveaways and hospitals. 

Levitt programming returned to the Levitt with 40 free live concerts. 

• Levitt in your Living Room transitioned to production with South Dakota Public Broadcasting. All concerts were livestreamed and recorded by SDPB.
• Music Matters was created in conjunction with SDPB with Apolonia Davalos leading interviews of Levitt artists impacting our community.

Levitt programming increased to 50 free live concerts at the Levitt Shell with 106,228 in-person concert audience members.

• In July, Innoskate took place at Pine Ridge and Sioux Falls, celebrating and exploring connections between skateboarding,  invention, music and creativity thanks to a collaboration with The Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation and USA Skateboarding. 

• Levitt at the Falls adopted a strategic plan with a 2028 vision including  key focus and growth areas: Town Square, Inclusion, Music Education, Outreach, and Convening/Convenor.
• Levitt at the Falls piloted the Music Maker Mixer program and Open Mic program – local artist professional development and networking efforts.

• Levitt Jam Camp was launched alongside the 50 free concerts, providing three different opportunities for area youth to engage with local musicians and develop their passions and talents as young artists.
• Levitt at the Falls announced plans to build an expansion to the Levitt Shell. 

• A record-breaking 120,317 people participated in Levitt summer programming—making it the highest attended season to date.
• For the first time in Levitt Sioux Falls history, a band performed on two consecutive nights.
• On August 28, Levitt broke ground on the Levitt indoor expansion project, the Sweetman Atrium. 

Levitt at the Falls staff is working hard to plan the next season of 50 FREE concerts. Check out our Concerts & Activities page to see what is happening soon!

Tom Dempster, soon-to-be Friends of Levitt Sioux Falls Board Chair, received a call from his old high school friend and Sioux Falls native, Tim Boe, who was living in Pasadena, Calif.—home to a Levitt outdoor concert venue. Boe told him: “Sioux Falls needs a Levitt.” Embracing the potential of community building through music, Tom put together a group of community leaders who shared this vision.

After reviewing numerous public spaces, Falls Park West was identified as the best location for Levitt Shell Sioux Falls. The undeveloped Falls Park West has played host to a variety of successful annual events,  pointing to its tremendous promise as a place for more consistent programming.  

Friends of the Levitt Shell Sioux Falls non-profit was incorporated with the state of South Dakota in November of 2012 and received its 501©(3) non-profit status in March of 2013.  Fundraising to support the building of the Levitt Shell could begin, along with further collaboration with the City of Sioux Falls.

The Levitt Shell Sioux Falls was selected as one of two projects to receive the support of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce Community Appeals Campaign. Levitt at the Falls was approved for a 2016 fund drive of $1.06 million based on criteria of community need and project impact.

In February of 2016, Sioux Falls City Council approved the public/private  partnership to build and sustain Levitt at the Falls, marking a major  milestone for the project. According to Levitt at the Falls Board Chair  Jennifer Kirby, it was then “full steam ahead!” 

Levitt at the Falls conducted its Chamber of Commerce Community Appeals campaign November 1, 2016-March 31, 2017 with a goal to begin construction at the site in 2018. 

Total Project Cost: $4,600,000

• April: The Levitt Shell groundbreaking takes place and construction commences on the Levitt Shell.
• August: Executive Director Nancy Halverson was hired to lead the Levitt at the Falls local non-profit and begin fundraising and programming for the inaugural 2019 concert season.

Construction is completed in spring of 2019 with the official ribbon cutting taking place on June 5. 

• Friday, June 14: Levitt at the Falls celebrates its inaugural concert with GRAMMY-nominated gospel and blues artist, Ruthie Foster. 30 free concerts made up the Inaugural season which spanned from  June-August and brought free, live, professional music to 58,000 community members.

 Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the season of live concerts was canceled. 

• Levitt created Levitt in Your Living Room, an online program with concert footage and interviews with artists from across the globe. The program was viewed by over 187,000 people.
• Levitt in Your Neighborhood was established as an outreach program providing 12 pop-up concerts. Concerts employed all local artists and  were staged at nursing homes, parks, food giveaways and hospitals. 

Levitt programming returned to the Levitt with 40 free live concerts. 

• Levitt in your Living Room transitioned to production with South Dakota Public Broadcasting. All concerts were livestreamed and recorded by SDPB.
• Music Matters was created in conjunction with SDPB with Apolonia Davalos leading interviews of Levitt artists impacting our community.

Levitt programming increased to 50 free live concerts at the Levitt Shell with 106,228 in-person concert audience members.

• In July, Innoskate took place at Pine Ridge and Sioux Falls, celebrating and exploring connections between skateboarding,  invention, music and creativity thanks to a collaboration with The Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation and USA Skateboarding. 

• Levitt at the Falls adopted a strategic plan with a 2028 vision including  key focus and growth areas: Town Square, Inclusion, Music Education, Outreach, and Convening/Convenor.
• Levitt at the Falls piloted the Music Maker Mixer program and Open Mic program – local artist professional development and networking efforts.

• Levitt Jam Camp was launched alongside the 50 free concerts, providing three different opportunities for area youth to engage with local musicians and develop their passions and talents as young artists.
• Levitt at the Falls announced plans to build an expansion to the Levitt Shell. 

• A record-breaking 120,317 people participated in Levitt summer programming—making it the highest attended season to date.
• For the first time in Levitt Sioux Falls history, a band performed on two consecutive nights.
• On August 28, Levitt broke ground on the Levitt indoor expansion project, the Sweetman Atrium. 

Levitt at the Falls staff is working hard to plan the next season of 50 FREE concerts. Check out our Concerts & Activities page to see what is happening soon!